Cheers Dagh and Gianni. Although I wasn't knowingly trying anything different maybe the excellent goals tutorial was helping me subconsciously! Maybe too I wasn't so kind to John and Grant, as Steve and Simon were but I don't think there was much in it. Either way, it was good to score a good few goals for a change.

All the goals, the stats, the stories & more from the KO2 WC 2011 - please click here

Far from a house of horrors, last night's tourney was a feast of Kick Off fun and friendship. Sure the great game brought us together but it was the laughs and the banter that enriched the occasion. A big thanks to everyone who made the effort to attend!

Round #1Garry C 7 - 7 Steve EGarry C 5 - 1 John BSimon K 1 - 5 Garry CGrant N 2 - 6 Garry CMy tourney exploded into action with a throughly entertaining 7-7 against Stevie E. Despite leading for most of the game and establishing a 6-3 and 7-5 scoreline late in the second half, like a zombie that just won't die, the Evil Undead just kept coming back! My match of the night without doubt and the kind of one I'd have been keen to see again, should the full-match hard-disk replay feature become possible Next up my good friend and top man, John B, who always adds to a great tourney atmosphere. He even jokes that he attends merely to provide the comic relief! John scored his first goal of the night against me which ended 5-1 in my favour. Rather strangely I achieved the same result against in-form Simon K. Not quite sure how but everything seemed to go my way whereas the opposite was true of Si-cho! Love it! My first round concluded versus Grant, who attended despite having his fractured metatarsal in a caste and having to hobble around on crutches. He'd managed to drive using his wife's automatic drive car - how's that for KOA dedication!!! This match was much tougher that it looked and when Grant's 45' shots started hitting the net bringing the match back to 2-3 I feared I could be Bates' first victim of the night!!! Escaping his clutches, I scored a few more to secure the points (phew!).

Round#2Steve E 4 - 2 Garry CJohn B 1 - 3 Garry CGarry C 2 - 3 Simon KGarry C 6 - 2 Grant NSome fine defending and quality finishing from Steve kept me at arm's reach as I lost my second round opener 2-4; after pushing him all the way in round #1 normality was restored! John 'Kruegger' Burns had definately sharpened his blades second time round and scared me with an early lead. He seemed faster all over the pitch and always seem to intercept me just as I was about to shoot. With half-time fast approaching and still 0-1 down, I was facing my own Nightmare on Burns Street!!! Harsh as it was but it lifted the pressure for me when I finally scored in first half injury time. Despite taking a early second half lead the match was definately in the balance right until the 9th minute when I clinched it 3-1. I hope John takes solace in a battling performance, the best I have seen from him yet! Simultaneously Si-cho had held the Evil Dead to a draw which meant the game against my arch-rival would be the title decider!!! Anticipation was in the air and the significance of the match gave us both the gitters causing the game to begin with countless errors. Almost to settle my nerves I managed an early goal with a diagonal lob cross and volley! Get in there! The dream was on! I wasn't dreaming for long, however, as from the subsequent KO my desperate attempts to prevent his routine lead to a penalty which he converted. Soon after Si-cho dispossed Cox on the edge of my own box for a cheap and nasty second but he really stuck the knife in with some quality dribbling around my central defender and across Fisher before smashing the ball into the back of the net. I had to applaud this goal, of title-winning status imo. Despite Si-cho conceding a second half penalty I just couldn't find the equalising third goal which in hindsight would have given me the title (fine lines!). Nevertheless and in his increasingly serially winning ways of late Simon K deservedly took the title. B*st*rd! In fact my earlier post showing in jokey pictures that players have arrived was actually my fairly accurate prediction for the night! It might have taken him a few years to chalk up his first one but I fear the next one is just around the corner. Finally in an uncanny resemlence to the first match Grant again battled really hard to pull the match back to 2-3 and so so nearly made it 3-3 when his shot beat the keeper only to come crashing back off the post. Had that gone in the result my well have been different but this is only Grant's second KOA tourney so I sure better scorelines lie ahead.

What a first game!! The 7-7 with Gaz was one of the best tournament games I'v had the pleasure of playing recently...even moreso when I was 7-5 down with a minute remaining (or so it seemed anyway hehe). Everytime I seemed to claw one back, Gaz would score another.My games with Si were a case of 'what goes around'. In a friendly earlier in the night, I managed to sneak a win with a second on the clock, leaving Si with no chance of equalising. My grin indiciated i was happy but I never believed it would happen against me!As with all my games tonight (and the previous koohl tournament), I'v been playing with 4-2-4 to get more options in attack and the more i play it, the more I'm enjoying it and the better my finishing is getting (at least I think anyway). With Si I got into a lead and then he got a few back. I thought i just about had the edge and we were both gunning for the winner and Si got it...with 1 second remaining! I shuffled in my seat with the intention of performing a kick off routine, a routine done with swiss precision. The joystick was in my hand, a bead of sweat desceneded from my forehead, Grant looked on as what was to come, my players lined up for the kick off, Si got read...the ref blew the whistle...then did it again for full time! shit!When playing the newer players I did try a few new things and tried to encourage them as best I could but despite not playing the game all that often, my games with Grant and John were a bit too close for comfort!Although 1-0 up, I was struggling to carve out chances against Grant and I ashamededly scored a corner routine to create a bit of distance.My game with John however was a nerve jangler. I got 1-0 up but once again I was struggling to create great opportunities and John made it 1-1 with a well measured goal...then he had more chances to get the winner! All he needed to do was have a little composure and a better understanding of some of the intriciaies of the game (which come with time) and he would have won I reckon. Si was watching and couldn't believe it...neither could I. Very unlucky John.

After a pizza break I had a game with Gaz that seemed like a non event really. A close game ended up with a 1 sided scoreline...I forgot to play 4-2-4- and Gaz forgot his board to lean on. By the time we remembered the game was dying out and I managed 2 goals at the end to make the score safe.Determined to overcome my last minute defeat to Si we had a fantastically close game yet again. Grant was watching as before and seemed to enjoy the chances that were created - of which there were a lot. I was 2-1 with seconds on the clock yet again.,..and yet again Si scored with 1 second remaning!! I couldn't believe it and any hopes I had of winning were filed under BOLLOCKS! barring an upset.When playing against Grant I wondered if I could still finish second and wasn't sure of the goal difference. I could hear Si putting a few away in the other game but didnt really know the proper scoreline until Gaz came over and kindly mentioned the scores from both games hehe. I knew then I needed to ease down on the accelerator a little and make the most of my possession.Final game against John and it was another close one. Albiet a safer scoreline for myself than last time but John once again had some great chances and with a little more composure in the box he would have scored a few.

Above all though, thanks to Gaz for hosting a great tournament. This is what KO2 is all about...actually playing the damn thing! What I enjoyed the most was the mix of having experienced players and relative newbies to the game. Was nice to see the games between John and Grant and thoughtful of Gaz to bring this mix for KOBRA XIII. Whilst a newbie to the game can get disconsolate with losing to more experienced players, it's important to encourage them too and so when John and Grant squared up to each other it was like a cup final. Great to watch.

But the night (and indeed the weekend grrrr!!) belonged to Mr. King who lived upto his name to continue to grow in tournaments with a very well deserved first place. We'v said it on here that if he could transfer his JFF form into tournaments he would be a threat and fresh from knocking five past Rob during KOOHL, he just continues to get better. His defence is excellent and he's finishing with greater accuracy. Sometimes when playing him (well actually a lot of the time), it's not who concedes the least goals but who scores the most. A very well done that man.

Big thanks to Gaz for organising and inviting me, and putting up with the awkwardness of someone on crutches, and well done to Si for the win.

I won't go into the details of how I got beat in practically every match other than to say that I fell I held my own in a couple and only the difference in finishing skills pushed the scoreline away from me. In most games though, I got stuffed I may not be the most polished of performers on the KO2 turf but I hope I gave some value on the entertainment front.

when John and Grant squared up to each other it was like a cup final. Great to watch.

You aren't wrong there, that was very tense that 2nd match and a draw in both our games means we can both hold our heads up.

Get working on Grant N for UKC attendance Garry!

highly unlikely to happen I'm afraid. If my foot heals in time I am probably on a plane to Moscow on the 10th.

Yoda wrote:I won't go into the details of how I got beat in practically every match other than to say that I fell I held my own in a couple and only the difference in finishing skills pushed the scoreline away from me.

100% agree Grant. Add a few more goals to your locker and wins, they will come!

All the goals, the stats, the stories & more from the KO2 WC 2011 - please click here